Jesus teaches in his hometown synagogue. The people are amazed by his wisdom & his renown as a healer, and yet they are also offended. You can just imagine what they might have been saying on that occasion:

"Who does this guy thing he is anyway, isn’t he just ‘the carpenter’ we always knew? Now he thinks that he is some kind of ‘prophet’ or Rabbi. We saw him grow up, he didn’t go to Temple school or nothing. After all; his mother, brothers & sisters are all just regular folks like us– and besides, they all think that he’s crazy!"

Jesus probably would have liked to help some of the people he knew growing up, but they did not ‘honor’ him or have any faith in his ministry. He was only able to heal a few sick. Today we would think that was great. But what a disappointment for Jesus, to actually be rejected by those he was close to and the neighbors he had respected while growing up.

II. Jesus Sends The Twelve On A Training Mission- Verses 7-13

Verse 7:

a. Jesus sent them out in two’s- at least with one companion they could support one another.

b. Gave them authority over evil spirits- Part of the mission was to do the same works that they had watched Jesus do. Cast out demons & heal the sick.

Verses 8-11: Jesus was training his disciples to rely on God. I have heard some well meaning Christians propose that this should be the norm–missionaries stepping out without any clear planning or support. I believe that Jesus is just giving his Apostles some needed experience & training here, by doing. Later, at Gethsemane, he tells them to prepare & take all they have at their disposal, coats, money, swords & etc. (Luke 22:36). The real lesson is to follow the guidance of the Father like Jesus always did.

Verses 14-16: Who is This Jesus? –A Prophet, Elijah, or John The Baptist? Notice that ‘King’ Herod believed that Jesus must be ‘John’ back from the dead.–then vs. 17-28, tells the story of the beheading of John The Baptist.

Verses 17-28: Tells the story of the beheading of John The Baptist. Notice how weak Herod actually was. First he unwisely promises the girl ‘up to half my kingdom’. Then he doesn’t back away from his promise, even though he really doesn’t want to have John killed. Bottom line, he is more concerned about what his guests might think.

Verse 29: The disciples of John The Baptist bury him in a tomb.

IV. Feeding of The 5,000 Plus- Verses 30-44

Verses 30-32: The disciples are reporting to Jesus about their missionary trip but they keep being disturbed by folk coming and going & they never get a chance to eat or complete their conversations. Jesus suggests they go to a quiet place & rest.

Verses 33-34: A crowd is waiting for them at the next location. Jesus has compassion for them and teaches them.

Verses 35-37: It is late in the day when Jesus finishes his teaching, and everyone is hungry. The disciples suggest that Jesus send the people away in order to get food. Jesus tells them to feed the people. The disciples are shocked–after all, no one has the kind of money it would take to feed this crowd.

Verses 38-40: Jesus puts the disciples to work, first to find what is actually available (5 Loaves & 2 fishes), next to divide up the people into groups and have them sit down. ‘Groups of 100’s & 50’s’–like the divisions in the camp following Moses in the desert (Ex 18:21).

Verse 41: Jesus gave thanks to God & then divides the loaves & fishes among the twelve disciples. It was the disciples that actually distributed the food, having a major part in the miracle. Can you imagine how they felt when Jesus asked them to pass out the few morsels of food that each had to this huge crowd in front of them? Then how shocked they were when the little bit they had didn’t disappear but seemed to multiply as they handed it out and there was actually enough and some left over?

Verses 42-44: The results-

1. Everyone ate until they were full.

2. There were twelve baskets full of leftovers.

3. There were 5,000 men in the crowd, this doesn’t count the thousands of women & children that were undoubtedly there and also ate with the men.

V. Jesus Walks On the Water- Verses 45-52

Verses 45-46: Aftermath-

1. Jesus sends the disciples to Bethsaida by boat.

2. He dismisses the crowd.

3. He then goes up into the mountainside to pray by himself.

After a huge miracle, Jesus seeks to get recharged spiritually. Many today, would choose to stay with the guys and celebrate after a successful ministry time. Wisdom & humility is demonstrated by Jesus here.

Verses 47-52: Jesus is walking on the lake, while the disciples are struggling to make headway in the boat. the wind is blowing and slowing their progress. They see him, but they don’t believe their own eyes. Neither did they really accept the miracle they were actually party to–the feeding of thousands. Even after all they’ve seen & participated in, the disciples still had so very little faith.

Jesus tells them to have courage and not to be afraid. He gets into the boat, and immediately the wind stops & it is clear sailing ahead. Again, they are amazed. What an incredible day!

VI. Those Even Touching The Clothes of Jesus Are Healed- Verses 53-56

Verses 53-54: They ended up Gennesaret. Again the crowd recognize Jesus.

Verses 55-56: The sick are brought to him as they travel throughout the region. Notice, all who even touched the edge of his cloak are healed. They must of heard about the woman who was healed by touching his cloak. The level of faith among the people was raised to such a level that many were healed, by merely getting close to Jesus and touching him.

Located on the east bank of the Sea of Galilee. It was a Gentile area, as can be seen by the thousands of pigs they kept. Some Manuscripts refer to the region as ‘Gaderene’ which would be at the south eastern corner of the lake. Gerasene is the most likely location, today there is a town in the area called Khersa & near, by the Lake on a slope, are cavern tombs that have been used in the past as dwelling places.

The banishment & treatment of this man was incredible. Wonder how he would fit into a modern context.

Verses 6-7: The demons controlling the man know exactly who Jesus really is. Better than even the disciples at that point: "Jesus Son of the Most High God" Probably was some kind of shock to his companions when Jesus did not deny it. Remember, a few hours ago on the Lake they were wondering themselves who this guy really is, that has power to calm even the seas & winds.

Verses 8-10: The conversation between Jesus and the demons which held power over the man is instructive. Jesus actually ask the demons their identity. They recognized the authority of Jesus to send them away. The title ‘legion’ suggests that thousands of demons may have been involved, a Roman legion contained 6,000 men. Breaking bonds & chains was a super human feat, however Jesus had power to defeat even an entire ‘legion’ of demons.

Verses 11-13: One wonders if the demons caused the pigs to run into the lake, or whether the pigs themselves responded to the demons with such fear, that they stampeded into the lake and lost their own lives in the process.

Verses 14-17: Notice how the Gerasenes responded by losing a large chunk of their economy. They were afraid, did not understand, and asked Jesus & the boys to leave the area. The ultimate ‘healer’ was among them, but they ask him to go.

Verses 18-20: The man that was healed wanted to come with Jesus, but was told to stay and give his testimony to his friends and family. Finally, the people were amazed. But Jesus and the disciples had moved on. This was a lost opportunity for the people of this region to be blessed. How many times do people today reject Jesus out of ignorance and fear, not really understanding who he really is and how their lives could be changed for the better. Jesus is the ultimate healer of all times, even today, even for you.

II. The Sick Woman & The Dying Little Girl- Verses 21-34:

The head of the Synagogue in the area, Jairus, sought out Jesus to come and heal his dying daughter. Can you imagine the frustration of this man, as he walked with Jesus and was engulfed by the crowd, making travel very difficult. Then Jesus stops and asked "who touched me?".

Verses 25-34: The crowd was pressing up against Jesus & the disciples. A woman who was sick with a blood flow disorder believed that if she could just touch Jesus she would be healed & she did. Actually according to the ‘Mosaic Law’, anyone who came in contact with a woman with this condition would be ‘defiled’. Jesus was aware that healing power went out from him, and stopped the whole parade. Jesus asks, "who touched my clothes?". The disciples were incredulous. After all, thousand of people were bumping up against them. At this point Jesus was as popular as the modern ‘rock star’. The woman was rewarded for her faith and healed of her disease.

III. Jesus Raises The Little Girl From the Dead- Verses 35-43

Verses 35-37: In the mean time, the daughter of Jairus had died and messengers came to inform him. Jesus tells him: "Don’t be afraid; just believe." A tall order, and yet Jairus does respond and continues with Jesus. Notice that Jesus only allows Peter, James, and John to go along for support. He leaves behind the crowd & takes along only his top disciples, those who have observed his ministry from the beginning, and probably have the greatest faith among his followers.

Verses 38-40: They arrive at the home of Jairus, and a chaotic traditional mourning had already started. The wealthy hired professional mourners in those days, when there was a death in the family. The pros were already at it. What a scene! The supposed ‘mourners’ showed that they really did not care, they actually laughed when Jesus suggested that the girl was only sleeping.

Verses 40-43: Jesus kicks them all out of the house and takes only the Father, mother and the three disciples into the room where the child was laying. He wanted only those who were really concerned for the girl, and those who had at least some degree of faith, to be with him. Jesus takes the hand of the girl and speaks here in Aramaic, "Talitha Koum!" (See: *Note), meaning- "Little girl, I say to you, get up!"– AND SHE DOES. To prove that she is back to normal, Jesus tells her parents to feed her.

Notice that Jesus ends this incredible miracle by instructing the family not to talk about it. Can you imagine? He actually did not want any greater fame & notoriety than he already had. The forces of opposition were already plotting against him, perhaps greater fame could have brought on a sooner end to his ministry.

*Note: Jesus and his disciples probably spoke ‘Aramaic’ in their normal conversation. Being from Galilee, they probably also spoke Greek, it was a mixed area and many spoke Greek, it was the language of commerce. Also, they probably knew Hebrew. There was a revival of the usage of Hebrew during the first century, particularly in the Synagogues and in Jerusalem. We know that Jesus did read from the Scroll of Isaiah (Hebrew) in his home town.

Jesus commands the storm to cease and it does. The experience causes those with him to wonder who Jesus really is since “even the wind and the waves obey him.”

Notes and Commentary:

I. Introduction to ‘The Teaching on the Lake’- Verses 1-2:

Verses 1-2: These verses are an introduction to the ‘teaching on the lake’ which contains the largest body of teaching in the entire Gospel of Mark.

Verse 2– Tells us that Jesus taught the people many things in the form of parables. Theses verses represent only a part of what Jesus actually taught. The following parables are about the Kingdom of God. He presented them to the people, but explained them later when he was alone with his disciples.

II. Parables of The Kingdom (See also Mt. 13 and Lk. 8)- Verses 3-32:

The Parable of The Sower

Verses 3-20: Notice that the ‘good soil’ produces an incredible harvest, 30, 60, & 100 times the investment. Jesus explains this parable in verses 13-20. but first he refers to why he talks in veiled parables in the first place. He quotes Isaiah 8:16, and explains that the full understanding of the ‘Kingdom’ teaching is for those who are truly part of the ‘Kingdom’ movement. Today, Jesus gives all believers his Holy Spirit in order to help in understanding his teaching and enliven the Biblical text. I am always surprised how very little unbelievers receive sometimes when they read the Bible and what they latch on to in the process.

Verses 13-20: Explanation by Jesus-

1. Those ‘along the path’–Satan had direct access to these people, probably through some false philosophical or religious system of thought.

2. Those in the ‘rocky places’ accepted the word for a short while, but did not continue when friends, family, or colleagues rejected them, or made fun of them because of their new faith

3. Those ‘among the weeds’, believe and accept the faith, but are so busy that they really don’t have time for Bible study, prayer, or Church meetings. Therefore, they really never grow and their faith is ‘choked’ out. I have been in the ministry long enough to have observed and to have personally known far too many in these first three categories.

4. However, I have also been blessed by observing the incredible growth of some in group number 4 with ‘good soil.’ The ‘good soil’ represents miraculous results in the lives of many people of faith. I have seen many whose lives have been changed for the better and have touched others in the process. Even in the midst of great adversity. With these folks, ‘The Kingdom’ advances and continues to grow at a miraculous pace.

The Parable of a Lamp On a Stand

Verses 21-25: As a lighted lamp is not meant to be hidden, so also the meaning of these parables is ultimately meant to be understood. Those who take the time to understand this teaching will be blessed and receive even more. Those who don’t, won’t even understand or be able to use what they have just been given. Jesus was ‘the light of the world’, he came to reveal the Father to us, and yet he himself was God hidden in the flesh of a human. His true nature was ‘hidden’ like the true meaning of the parables.

The Parable of the Growing Seed

Verses 26-29: This parable is only in Mark. Once the Kingdom is sown on the earth, it grows until the end of the age. Micro growth in the life of every believer, and macro growth in expansion across the entire world. The Rule of God is designed to expand in the life of the believer becoming increasingly more fruitful. The Rule of God is also expanding in the world as more and more believers come to Christ.

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

Verses 30-32: The Kingdom of God is likened to a tiny mustard seed. From small beginnings, a large plant grows up and becomes a beneficial perch for birds. The Kingdom did get its start here with just a handful of people. It is uncertain what the birds might represent, if anything other than showing that the plant grew large enough to give shade. Because the birds represented evil in the ‘Parable of the Sower’, some teach that the birds represent a sinister outcome here, but I believe that kind of understanding goes beyond the more simple teaching of the text.

Conclusion- Teaching of Parables

Verses 33-34: Jesus taught the people in parables, but the disciples were the only ones that he explained the teaching to in detail. They were able to dialog with him and ask questions, & they were able to walk with him, and have continual conversation as friends and companions.

III. Jesus Calms the Storm- Verses 35-41:

Verse 35: Jesus tells his disciples: "Let us go over to the other side" (of the Lake).

Verses 37-38: A huge storm arises while Jesus is sleeping, and the boat is in danger of sinking, and other boats with them also. The disciples are afraid for their lives and cannot understand how Jesus can sleep through it all with little concern.

Verses 39: Jesus rebukes the wind–similar to the way that he rebukes demons. Some have inferred by this tact, that the storm may have been ‘demonically’ inspired.

Verse 40: Jesus questions their faith and asks why they were afraid. After all they were with him and he said that they we going to go to the other side.

Verse 41: At this point the disciples openly wonder exactly who this Jesus is since “even the wind and the waves obey him.”

The disciples are just beginning to discover that Jesus has far more authority than any man they ever knew. The level of faith displayed by the disciples is probably no greater or any less than ours would be in the same circumstances.

At least I know that I would be terrified in the middle of a Lake in the midst of a huge storm. I have been in a similar situation when a life threatening storm quickly arose while our family was in a small row boat fishing in the middle of a huge lake. We barely made it ashore before the boat began to sink. So I do know how frightening that can be. We did a lot of praying in the midst of the storm so we were thankful to God and believe that we had his help in getting safely ashore.